Doormat-operated animated figure



F. E. HERR.

"DOOR MAT OPERATED ANIMATED FIGURE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.4 1919.

F. E. HERR..

DOOR MAT OPERATED ANIM/WED FIGURE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.4, 19l9 1,429,506. Patented Sept. 19, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented Sept. 19, 1922.

.FREDERICK E. `I-lIEIEtR, BARBERTON, OHIO.

i nooRMA'r-PERATED ANIMATED FIGURE-` Applicationled December/1 1919. Serial No. 342,423.`

" 2 To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, FREDERICK E. HERR, a citizen of the vUnited States, residing at Barberton, in the county of Summit and State of'Ohio, have invented certain new v`and userful Improvements iny `DoormatOperated Animated Figures, ofwhich the following is a speciiication.

This invention relates to door mats, and

the primary `object of the invention `is the provision of an improved door mat, having an animated figure, so that when a person or persons steps upon the mat, the figurey will execute a certain movement.

'Another object of the invention is the provision of animproved animated' ligure operativelyconnectedwith av door mat, so that when the upper surface of the mat is depressed, the figure will be actuated, the ligure being constructed and dressed to simu-` late the appearance of an American kveteran of thellVorld W'ar.l i y Afurther object of the inventionis the provision roffan animated figure dressed to simulate the appearance of a soldier having one arm thereof rotatably connected to thel body and provided with-an improved means for operating the same in a manner similar toa'militarys'alute upon the depressing of the door mat.

A further object of the inventionis the provision of an improved ,mat fork doors so constructed as to permit an animated ligure associated therewith to be operated .when a person or persons steps upon any portion of abovecharacter, which'. is durable and siii-f cient in use, one that isl simple vand-'euasyto manufacture, and `one which can be` lplaced upon' the market ata reasonable cost.. y l Other objects of the invention will"ap' pear in the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings; in which drawings: l y Figurel is a perspective view ofthe limproved device.

in' normal position,

Figure 2' is a fragmentary sectional view of the improved device. i

Figure 3 is a top plan of they door mat with the cover removed. Y

Figure 11 is a detail vertical section through the pivoted arm of the. figure, lying showing" the same in dotted lines in a raised position.

Figure 5 is a detail fragmentary elevation of the means forconnecting the arm operating means with the operating rod.

Figure Gis a detail enlarged fragmentary vertical section through the lower portion of a iigure and mat. i

Referring to the drawings, in detail,

wherein similar referencecharacters desigp associated withthe mat B and'is adapted to be operatedby the operating mea-ns @for closing a circuit to ring the bell H` or sounding any other suitable alarm.

The mat B includes a rectangular base plate 10 having an upstanding ledge 11 secured to the front and side faces thereof, The rear end of the 'plate has secured thereto the' block 12`whic-h is arranged on the upper l surface of theplate 10 and confined between the ledge 1'1. This block serves as means for supporting the figure F as will be hereinafter'more fully described. Theplate 10, the ledge 11 and the block12 are covered by the usual or anyheavy fabric 14, which is secured in position byany preferred means. The operating means C is positioned in the mat between the base platelO and the cover 14, and the same includes a plurality of ribs 15 which radiate outwardly from a sector plate 16, which is positioned in the rearportionr of the mat. p l' Theouter terminals of the ribs 15 are pivotally secured to brackets 17 which ,are carried by the inner surface of the ledge 11, and the cover 14` rests directly l face of the ribs `so that when a person steps upon any portion of the cover one of the ribs `will be engaged.

The sector plate 16is provided with a plurality of arcuately arranged openings 18, which4 receive the inner terminals ofthe ribs 15 which are bent into a hook shape, as at 19. The inner face of the insulating block 12 is notched as at 20 for the reception of the sector plate 16. The ligure F is carved and dressed to simulate the appearance of a veteran of the World Vilar and includes the hollow body 2l, the feet 22 of which are bolted or otherwise secured as at 23 to the block 12.

The right arm lil of the ligure F is rotatably connected to the body F and includes the lower forearm section 24, and the upper section 25. The sections 24 and 25 are hingedly connected at their rear ends by suitable pivot pins 26. rlhe meeting faces of the arm sections and 25 are bevelled in opposite directions from the pivot pins so as to permit the bending of the sections in relation to each other.

A. stationary sleeve or bearing 27 is arranged in the aligned openings 23 and 29 formed in tne upper arm section 25 and the body 21 respectively, and this bearing rotatably supports the shaft 30 which has the outer end thereof secured to the upper arm portion as at 31. The sleeve is held against any movement in the arn'i and body of the ligure by a suitable collar 32, which is threaded on the sleeve into engagement with the inner surface of the body. The outer end of the sleeve carries a stationary cam 33,

' which abuts the inner' surface of the arm and holds the same against movement in relation to the body. The inner end of the shaft 30 extends into the body and has keyed or otherwise secured thereto a disc or wheel 34, which has eccentrically kmounted thereon a crank pin 35 which carries the upper end of the connecting` rod 36, which is secured to or formed on the rear end of the sector plate 16. The cam 33 is rigidly secured to the sleeve or bearing 27 and has pivotally secured thereto the connecting link 3T, which is positioned in the arm E and has its outer end pivotally connected to a bracket 38 rigidly secured to the inner surface of the forearm section 24 of the arm E. The bracket 38 is positioned opposite the hinged connection of the sections 24 and 25, and it will be seen that when the arm is swung upwardly, the forearm section 24 will be raised on the pivot pin 26 and brought into a saluting position.

The shaft 30, the cam 33, the crank disk 34, and the connecting rod 36, forms the arm operating means C.

The rod 36 is normally held in a raised position, by the expansion spring 39, which is coiled around the rod 36 and has its upper end bearing against a stationary washer 40 secured to the rod. rlhe lower end of the spring engages the inner surface of one foot 22 of the figure F. The foot 22 through which the rod 36 passes, is provided with a suitable bearing 4l so as to permit the easy operation of the rod.

rl`he circuit closer Gr for closing the door bell circuit 42 includes a stationary contact 43 embedded in the block 12, and a movable contact 44, which is secured to the upper surface of the block. T he inner end of the contact 44 is bent downwardly to provide a spring plate 45, which owing to the inherent resiliency of the metal is normally held out* wardly in spaced relation to the contact 43.

The rod 36 has its lower end provided with a rearwardly extending lug 46 which is adapted to engage the spring contact 45 when the rod is lowered and force the same into engagement with the stationary contact 43. The terminals 43 and 44 are connected to the line wires 47 and 48 of the house bell circuit 42, which has interposed therein a suitable source of electrical energy 49 and the bell or other signal H.

ln operation of the improved device, it will be seen that when a person steps upon the mat B the lingers or ribs 15 will be depressed, thereby carrying the sector plate 16 therewith and operating the crank disc 34, which in turn rotates the shaft 30 and carries the arm upwardly and swings the fore arm 24 on its pivot 26, bringing the arm E to a saluting position, at the same time closing the circuit 32 and ringing the door bell H,

From the foregoing description, it can be seen that an improved door mat is provided, which is so constructed that when a person steps upon the same, the door bell will be rung, and the arm of the ligure F which is associated therewith swung to a saluting po sition. The figure F as stated, is dressed to simulate the appearance of a veteran of the lVorlds ViTar, and serves to enliven the memory ofthe occupants of the house and callers, to the valor of the American soldiers during the late war.

Changes in details may be made, without departing from the spirit or scope of my nvention, but;

I claim:

1. The combination with a door mat including a plate, a plurality of movable members connected to the plate, of an animated figure including a body member, a limb member pivotally connected thereto, and means for operatively connecting the limb member with the plate so that upon depression of any one of said members the limb member will be actuated.

2. The combination with a door mat including a rectangular frame, a sector' plate arranged at the rear end of the frame, a plurality of depressible members independently connected to the sector plate and extending at all points within the frame, of an animated figure carried by the mat and arranged at the rear end thereof directly above said sector plate, the ligure including a body and a swinging limb member, and means operatively connecting the sector plate with the limb member.

3. The combination with a door mat in` cluding a plurality of radiating depressible o nectingthe swinging arm with the fingers for actuating the swinging arm whenV the fingers are depressed.

5. The combination with a door mat in-` cluding a frame, a plurality of depressible fingers arranged in the frame, a covering arranged over the frame and supported by said fingers, of an animated figure carried by the frame and including a body member, and a pivoted arm, means operatively connecting the fingers with the arml for raising the arm when the fingers are depressed,

and means normally holding the fingers in their raised position.

G. yThe combination with a door mat including a frame, a plurality of radiating fingers arranged in the frame and adapted to be depressed by a weight,` a cover arranged over said frame and resting upon said fingers, and a plate secured to the fingers, an operating rod carried by the plate, of an animated figure associated with the mat and including the body member and a limb hingedly carried lby the body, means operatively connecting the limb with the operating rod, and means for holding the operating rod and fingers in a raised posir tion.

movement, a shaft carried by the limb member, a crank formed on said shaft, and

means connecting the crank with the rdev pressible portion.

S. The combination with a door mat including a movable portion, of an animated figure associated with the mat including a body member, an arm member carried by `the body including a pair of pivoted `sections, a sleeve rotatably securing the arm and body together, a shaft carried'by the sleeve and secured to said arm, means for operatively connectinothe shaft with the movable portion of the mat so that the arm will be raised upon actuation of said mov-- able portion of the mat, and means for swinging the hinged sections of the arms in relation to each other upon the raising movement of the arm.

9. The combination with a door mat 1ncluding a movable portion, of an animated figure associated therewith including a body member, an arm member having a hinged lower section, in eans rotatably securing the arm and body together, a shaft carried by the arm, a crank disc secured to the shaft, a crank pin secured to said disc,means con necting the crank pin with the movable portion of the mat, and means for swinging the hinged section of the arm upon movement of said shaft.

10.'The combination with a door mat including a movable portion, of an animated figure, a body member, an arm member having a hinged lower section, a stationary sleeve rotatably connecting the body and arm together, a shaft rotatably carried by the sleeve and rigidly secured to the arm, means for operatively connecting the shaft with the movable portion of the mat, a stationary cam carried by the disc, and a connecting link secured to the cam and the hinged section of the arm.

FREDERICK E. HERR. 

